1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to tire repair devices and more particularly, to an improved apparatus for repairing tire punctures in situ and finds especial advantages in the repair of large truck, off road, or industrial vehicle tires.
When a vehicle tire is observed to be flat or fails to hold air and no damage is observed to the tire valve, bead or sidewall, the usual culprit is a puncture through the tread such as caused by a nail or spike. Obviously the initial step in any subsequent repair procedure is to remove the foreign member. Thereafter, in the case of most smaller, lower pressure tires as used on automobiles, the repair comprises the insertion of an elongated rubber plug, strand or the like which has been impregnated with a suitable rubber cement. This is often preceded by a reaming of the puncture to roughen the walls of the bore. A tool, akin to an awl with a hole near its tip is employed to insert the cement-saturated rubber plug or strand. Such a repair procedure usually suffices for those smaller, lower pressure types of tires even though little consistency exists between successive repairs. This is due to the free hand nature of the repair procedure which can actually result in significantly enlarging the puncture bore through the tire tread, thus compromising the integrity of the repair job. Additionally, no positive means are offered to regulate the degree of insertion of the rubber repair plug or strand, resulting in varying lengths of the strand being projected into and remaining within the interior of the tire casing.
In the case of larger tires as used on trucks, construction machinery and the various types of off-road vehicles, a tire repair apparatus is needed which will allow for the relatively effortless manipulation of the tool elements while addressing the substantially greater bulk of the tire tread. At the same time, means must be available to insure that a positive control over the motions of the tool is assured so that the chances of a successful repair are enhanced. Preferably, an ideal apparatus will include a single tool apparatus that includes the rubber repair component (boot or plug) as well as a pre-measured amount of suitable adhesive, such as liquid rubber cement. Such an arrangement obviates the necessity to separately stockpile these repair items and insures the use of a precise size or amount of the items for each repair.
Additionally, means are desired to insure a relatively effortless manipulation of the tool elements during the repair procedure since it is well known that accomplishing an in situ puncture repair upon an oversize tire normally requires a considerable physical effort.
As will be seen, the simplicity and effectiveness of my invention is not rivaled in the prior art.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Tools or devices for repairing punctures in pneumatic tires are broadly known in the art as exemplified in the following described patents, all of which fail to suggest the simplicity and effectiveness of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,785,896 issued to Kassel on Jan. 15, 1974 is an earlier example of a tire puncture repair system and wherein a needle tool inserted through the puncture supports an elastic strand that is twisted into a helically convoluted formation that is subsequently coated with cement. The coated plug member thus formed is manually inserted through the puncture with the tool then being disengaged from the placed plug to permit its removal from the tire. This device is wholly unlike the present apparatus wherein a precisely configured boot member is initially loaded within a probe of a tool mechanically admitted through the tire puncture by means of a threaded arrangement following which a pre-measured amount of cement is subsequently injected through the end of the tool to bond the boot to the tire casing in the area of the puncture, with this latter action likewise being mechanically controlled by the operator.
A tire repair apparatus employing threadedly attached components will be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,624 issued Mar. 1, 1977 to Nishino and which illustrates a driver element initially manually inserted through a tire puncture. Continued insertion of the tool urges a surrounding sleeve member to also enter the puncture. Thereafter, the driver element is withdrawn and the sleeve member then serves to receive a plug insertion tool containing a resilient plug pretreated with cement. No hint is seen in this prior device of the instant apparatus utilizing a unitized assembly including an initial probe element which first, serves to admit a collapsed boot member through a mechanical threading action and then, serves to deliver a premeasured dose of rubber cement, likewise supplied through an operator controlled mechanical action.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,197,893 issued to O'Coin on Apr. 15, 1980 shows the inclusion of a boot-like element within a tire casing but falls far short of suggesting the current system wherein a collapsible boot member forms a part of a repair procedure. In O'Coin, a tube type tire is with a coextensive puncture resistant shield disposed intermediate the tube and tread of the tire. In the present apparatus, the boot member is for the purpose of covering and sealing a significant area overlying and surrounding the puncture point on the inside of a tubeless tire casing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,710,249 issued Dec. 1, 1987 to Roberts illustrates a repair plug member having a peripheral sealing ring which overlies the tire casing inner surface when inserted. Robert's plug appears to rely upon a plurality of peripheral sealing rings projecting from its shank for retention of the plug when inserted and which are mentioned to enhance the retention of cement as initially applied thereto. This is contrary to the present system wherein a plug is provided that includes an expansive umbrella-like boot element that forms a primary sealed barrier over the interior end of a puncture while a central stem affixed thereto is employed principally during the application of the boot and subsequent administration of cement by the same apparatus initially inserting the boot.
A further multi-part tire repair tool is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,531 issued Aug. 28, 1990 to Nishio. In this prior art tool, a pointed rod attachable to a handle, carries a removable sheath and both elements are initially manually forced through the tire puncture to seat the sheath within the puncture. Thereafter, the handle and rod are withdrawn, the rod removed from the handle and the handle used to force a plug into the positioned sheath. Finally, the handle serves as a tool to extract the sheath while leaving the plug in place. On the other hand, with the instant apparatus, removal and replacement of elements is not necessary as a fully self-contained unitary assembly is employed wherein the sequential manipulation of portions thereof precisely inserts and positions a collapsible boot member following which a measured amount of contained cement is administered to complete the repair.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,871,205 issued Jan. 27, 1959 to Mankowich et al. claims a method of reclaiming vulcanized scrap rubber is hereby incorporated by reference.
None of the above inventions or patents, considered either singly or in any combination, is seen to even remotely describe or suggest the unique system as claimed herein.